Open University: Foundations of Public Health, autumn 2023

The course gives an overview of public health as a science and art that aims to promote peoples' and communities’ health using organized, social, economic, and cultural means. The course aims to give all participants an idea of how to look at issues of health and wellbeing from a broad and multidisciplinary viewpoint. This is the foundation of what can be called public health. The course is a cornerstone for further higher education in public health and related fields, but equally well it may introduce the basics of public health worldview to students, who do not necessarily have prior studies or experience in any health sciences.

Content

⦁ Public Health: what is it. Basic definitions, concepts, mission and tasks.
⦁ Public health in historical context: major steps across 5000 years.
⦁ Various definitions of health.
⦁ Multifactorial determinants behind health.
⦁ Multilevel systems of health: individual, community, population, international, global.
⦁ Dynamics of health over time, health in lifecourse.
⦁ Social inequalities in health.
⦁ Public health in practice.
⦁ Basic principles of health promotion.
⦁ Role of health care services within public health.
⦁ Actors, organizations and stakeholders in local, regional and global public health.
⦁ Modern research in public health.
⦁ Public health and population health in Finland and Europe.
⦁ Contemporary global health challenges and future outlooks.

Teachers:

Jussi Kauhanen, MD, PhD, MPH, Professor of Public Health;
Sohaib Khan, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor in International Health;
Javkhlanbayar Dorjdagva, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor in Health Policy;
Additional staff teachers;
Guest speakers as applicable;

Study Methods

Based primarily on contact learning on campus (Kuopio). Online participation is possible.

Evaluation

This study unit is graded on a scale of 0-5, based on the participation and activity in lectures and discussions (25%), short assignments and quizzes (25 %), examination (50 %). A 75 % participation in lectures is required for eligibility for the final examination.